Self-dispensing container



May 7, 1968 s. FRANCIS 3,381,857

SELF-DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed May 8, 1967 INVENTOR. Seseen Franc/s BYUM; 1mm ,Qmg Liam H/S ATTORNEYS 3,381,857 SELF-DISPENSING CONTAINERSeseen Francis, R0. Box 92, Parkersburg, W. Va.

Filed May 8, 1967, Ser. No. 636,856 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-100) mama.

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Specification My invention relates to aself-dispensing container for fluid or pastelike material. Heretofore,it has been necessary to apply external force to a container to cause adispensing of the material contained therein, for example, squeezing,inverting, etc. Often the application of force is inconvenient and thisis especially true where the discharge is required to be at a uniformrate and/ or directional control is needed. For example, the applicationof adhesives generally requires a high degree of precision control bothwith respect to the amount and the area to be covered. However, withconventional containers this control cannot be attained because theexternal force necessary to dispense the material interferes with thecontrol process or greatly limits it.

My invention overcomes this problem because no external force isrequired. The user of the container is therebyfreed to devote hisattention to controlling the flow of fluid or paste therefrom.Furthermore, my inven tion provides a container that is as convenient touse as aerosol containers where a fine spray is not required, forexample, in dispensing shaving cream, but is far less expensive than theconventional aerosol container. My container may be either disposed ofafter use or reused, thereby adding to its economy features. In such anarrangement, i.e., for reuse, only a portion of the container need besold to consumers who could insert that portion into the portion theyretain.

The container is constructed in such a way that it has an attractiveappearance, which is particularly important in marketing a product. Thematerial out of which the container is preferably made is readilyadaptable to decoration and promotional literature. Since the containerreduces in size as it dispenses, novel advertising may be eflectuatedutilizing this feature. Moreover, from the consumers standpoint, thecontainer requires less storage space as the contents are dispensed;that is, storage space is not consumed by a large volume containeralmost empty.

Generally, my invention comprises a flexible, substantially elongatedreceptacle having an opening at one of its ends. The opening is fittedwith a valve that permits the discharge of material from the receptacle.The valve means may be provided with various kinds of dispensing spoutsand their configuration will depend largely upon the type of materialcontained and the method of utilization. Over the receptacle are a pairof thin, substantially elongated, flexible strips that have a coilproclivity sufficient to cause the dispensing of paste like materials.The strips are secured together at one of their ends with the receptaclesandwiched between the strips and the opening facing the unsecured endsthereof. At the unsecured ends is secured an end member with an openinghaving a periphery to which the periphery of the opening in thereceptace is secured. When the valve is opened, the strips coil togetherin the direction of the opening to form con- 338L857 Patented May 7,1968 volutions that compress the receptacle therebetween to dispense thematerial.

The container may also be constructed without utilization of a thinflexible receptacle. In this embodiment, the strips are bonded alongthree of their edges and at one of their ends an end piece is secured togive the bonded strips a substantially tubular shape. It would also bepossible to utilize other methods to form a container without areceptacle, for example, by molding.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the present preferredembodiments of my invention in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the flexible receptacle;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the assembly;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of an end member adaptable for use in thecontainer;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the container in its naturally coiledposition;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the container in its elongated uncoiledposition;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the container when filled and having avalve to control dispensing;

FIGURE 7 is a side view showing the coiling of the container to dispensethe contents when the valve is open;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the container without a flexiblereceptacle;

FIGURE 9 is a front view of the container shown in FIGURE 8 showing theend member; and

FIGURE 10 is a side view of the container shown in FIGURE 8 in itsuncoiled position or filled position.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a thin flexible receptacle 10 is shown having anend portion 11 and a neck 12 that defines opening 13. The receptacleneck 12 may or may not be threaded and is of a material more rigid thanthe receptacle. The receptacle is preferably made from a polyethylenematerial, that provides the desired characteristics of the receptacle,namely, that its walls be very thin, flexible, and fluid-tight.Receptacle 10 can be constructed so as not to have either an end portion11 or a neck 12. It is required only to have an opening at one of itsends that is defined by a periphery, which may be formed from the endsof the sides of the receptacle. It is preferable that the receptacle beelongated; however, elongation is not required.

FIGURE 2 illustrates one preferred assembly of the container utilizing apair of thin flexible strips 14, having openings in their ends. Thesestrips must have a very great proclivity to coil. Succes has beenachieved utilizing strips formed from a material sold by E. I. du Pontde Nemours & C0. under the registered trademark Mylar which is apolyester film made of polyethylene terephthalate, a polymer formed bythe condensation reaction of ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid.Mylar type A is preferable because of its very great proclivity to coil.Type A is biaxially balanced properties are the same in bothdirectionsand the desired proclivity to coil is attained when the sheetsof Mylar are coiled and heat set to a temperature above the thermalmemory of the film, approximately 320 F. The proclivity to coil isincreased by reducing the diameter of the coil or increasing the heatsetting temperature to a not excessive temperature.

Strips 14, preferably elongated, are placed over recep tacle neck 12such that the neck passes through the openings provided in the ends ofthe strips. The strips are overlayed such that end sections having theopening therein tend to coil towards each other. The force created bythis tendency to coil holds each strip in juxtaposition to the otherwhen the strips are formed along receptacle 10 and secured to oneanother at their ends opposite the openings (see FIGURE 5). Further,these strips may be bonded together, for example, by heat bonding, toincrease the strength at the points where they overlap.

To increase the strength at the end where strips 14 overlap, an endmember 15, (see FIGURE 3) may be interposed. End member 15 issubstantially rigid and may be constructed from a plastic material, forexample. The end member must be constructed with an opening therein, butit is not necessary that it have a neck member 15 as shown. End member15 can be interposed between strips 14 at their unsecured ends, andthereby constitute the sole end portion by bonding strips 14 to theedges of the end member. In this case, strips 14 do not require openingsat their ends and do not overlap.

In the case where receptacle 10 has neck 12, neck 12 passes through theopenings provided at the ends of strips 14 and also through end member15 when it is interposed between the overlap. Since neck 12 is present,there is no necessity that an end member 15 have neck member 15, and itis preferable that end member 15 be utilized only with an openingtherein. When member 15 is utilized as the sole end portion, that is,strips 14 do not overlap, neck 12 passes through only the opening inmember 15. Neck 12 is bonded to the periphery of one of the openingsthrough which it passes, and if end member 15 is utilized, the openingtherein is preferably the one to which the neck is bonded.

In the case where receptacle 10 does not include neck 12, the opening inthe receptacle is placed in communication with the openings in strips 14of the overlap. When end member 15 is used either in combination withthe overlapping strips or as the sole end portion, the opening of thereceptacle is placed in communication with the opening of thecombination or end member 15. The periphery defining opening 13 inreceptacle 10 is sealably bonded to the periphery of the opening towhich it is in communication. Preferably, the bonding is with theperiphery of the opening in member 15, whether it is used in combinationwith overlapping strips 14 or alone as the sole end member. However,when end member 15 is not utilized, it is preferred that the bonding iswith the periphery of the opening in the strip which is outermost of theoverlap.

FIGURE shows the construction of the container having a receptacle witha neck 12 and without the use of end member 15. When the container iselongated, the end of the strips 14 at their ends opposite the openingare secured so as to preferably form a curl 14'. Formation of curl 14 isfacilitated by making one of the strips 14 slightly longer than theother. Curl. 14' is not required, however, but it is necessary that thestrips be secured so as to coil in the same direction towards theopening. It is to be noted that the curl 14' is formed if receptacledoes not extend the length of the strips 14. This is due to the factthat strips will coil unless restricted; accordingly, the normalattitude of an unfilled container without a closed valve is as shown inFIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 shows a filled container assembly having a closed valve means16. Valve 16 may be threadably secured to the neck 12 or neck member orsealably secured in any opening formed in the end of the container. Itis preferred that valve 16 be a twist open type, but any easilycontrollable valve would be suitable. The valve means may be providedwith various different kinds of dispensing spouts and theirconfiguration will depend largely on the type of material contained andthe method of utilization.

The size of the opening 13 in the end of the container depends upon theviscosity of the material to be contained in the receptacle and thespeed of dispensing required. Generally, the higher the viscosity, thelarger opening 13 must necessarily be; however, a smaller opening can beused and will slow the rate of dispensing. If a very slow rate ofdispensing is achieved, valve 16 may be a simple removable cap.

When the valve is opened, the pair of strips 14 coil together in thedirection of the opening to form convolutions. The sandwiched receptacle10 is compressed between these forming convolutions and the compressioncauses the material to be dispensed through the valve, FIGURE 7.

FIGURES 8, 9 and 10 show another embodiment of my invention, aself-dispensin g container without a flexible receptacle. Strips 24,made of the same material as strips 14, are bonded along three of theiredges 24a, 24b and 240 to form a sealed member along those three edges.End member 20, substantially oblong is interposed at the unsecured endof the formed member and seala-bly secured to the edges 24d of strips24. End member 20 can also be substantially circular. The end member hasan opening therein in which a valve member could be placed or a necksealably secured to the periphery thereof. As shown, the end member isprovided with neck 21 which may be made as an integral part of the endmember, with or without internal or external threads. Further, the endmember 20 is preferably made from a material substantially the same asend member 15, that is, a material more rigid than the strips, forexample, plastic.

The insertion of end member 20 causes the formed member to separate anddefine a container or receptacle. Edges 24d conform to the shape of theend member to which they are bonded and the formed member takes asubstantially tapered tubular shap throughout the elongation of strips(see FIGURE 10). Edges 2412 are flat and not arcuate as is the remainingportion of strips 24. Because of this fiat configuration, edges 24])will have a natural tendency to coil together, which when the valve isopened, will continue to coil to form convolutions that dispense thematerial contained within the tubular memher.

The opening in the end member and the valve means are variable as withthe container having the receptacle. In other words, the valve means maybe provided with various different kinds of dispensing spouts and theirconfiguration Will depend largely on the type of material contained andthe method of utilization. These might include, for example, a simpletwist open type valve means and spout having an open and closedposition, a twist open valve and spout where the opening is adjustable,or a valve and spout that is closed in a vertical position and opened invarious degrees upon moving the valve and spout at an inclination to thevertical.

Moreover, it is contemplated that my container without the receptaclecould also be molded or pressed to form a tapered substantially tubularmember having at its one end a valve member. The other end would be fiatas shown in FIGURES 8 and 10, in particular edge 24b. The preferredmaterial in this case is also a material such as Mylar.

While I have shown and described preferred embodiments of my invention,it may otherwise be embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-dispensing container for fluids and paste like materialcomprising:

(A) a flexible, substantially elongated receptacle having an opening;

(B) a valve means adapted for scalable engagement in said opening forpermitting discharge of material from the receptacle;

(C) a pair of thin, substantially elongated, flexible strips, each ofsaid strips having a proclivity to coil in the same direction, saidstrips being secured together at one of their ends and said receptaclebeing sandwiched between said strips substantially throughout theelongation thereof; and

(D) an end member of a substantially rigid material having an openingformed therein, said end member being secured to said strips at theirunsecured ends, and the periphery of said opening in said receptaclebeing sealably secured to the periphery of said opening in said endmember, said valve means being sealably engaged in said opening suchthat when said valve means is opened, said pair of strips coil togetherin the direction of the end member to form convolutions that compressthe receptacle therebetween to dispense material through said valvemeans.

2. A self-dispensing container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stripsare coiled and heat set strips of polyethylene terephthalate.

3. A self-dispensing container as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidreceptacle is formed from polyethylene material.

4. A self-dispensing container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said endmember is formed from said pair of strips characterized by havingopenings in each of their unsecured ends and being formed as to overlap,said openings being in communication with one another and saidproclivity to coil of each of said strips is in a counteractingdirection so as to form a substantially rigid end member, and saidperiphery of said opening in said receptacle being sealably secured tothe periphery of said opening in the outermost end portion strip.

5. A self-dispensing container for fluid and paste like materialcomprising:

(A) a pair of thin substantially elongated, flexible strips, each ofsaid strips having a proclivity to coil in the same direction, saidstrips being sealably secured together at three of their edges to form amember, said unsecured edges being an end of said formed member;

(B) a substantially circular semi-rigid end element having an openingtherein, said end element being sealably secured to the unsecured endedges to form a tapered tubular container throughout a portion of theelongation of said formed member, the end opposite said end elementbeing flat; and

(C) a valve member secured to the periphery of said opening in the endelement, such that when said valve means is opened, said flat end ofsaid formed member coils in the direction of the valve means to formconvolutions that dispense material contained in said tapered tubularcontainer through said valve.

6. A self-dispensing container claimed in claim 5 wherein said endelement is substantially oblong.

7. A self-dispensing container claimed in claim 5 wherein said stripsare coiled and heat set strips of polyethylene terephthalate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,731,703 10/1929 Bourke 222-992,533,839 12/1950 Robinson 222-103 2,600,631 6/1952 Freedman 222-1033,269,603 8/1966 Reimann 222-103 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

F. R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

